

In keeping with its status as the largest international trade forum for occupational safety, security, and health at work, this year’s A+A Congress in the Messe Düsseldorf, Germany from 5-8 November, was an exhilarating mix of product innovation, revealing glimpses into the future of the industry, and a celebration of excellence.
Ansell’s presence at this biennial event was focussed on innovation. This was underlined by its well-received booth design, which showcased notable contributions to each element of the successful A+A mix. In addition, it was also an opportunity to reaffirm Ansell’s commitment to its customers and the industry as a whole. Recognised as a global leader in safety solutions, the awareness of its responsibilities was characterised in Ansell’s umbrella tagline for the A+A show – ‘Your SAFETY. Our priority.’
“Ansell’s presence at this biennial event was focussed on innovation”
Showcasing innovation based on practical performance
This commitment was clear in the showcasing of four new high performance glove innovations which take chemical and cut protection to another level. These four have been developed as a response to ever-increasing day-to-day safety risks, providing customers with the peace of mind that Ansell continues to keep their workers safe with optimum protection, while also driving productivity.
AlphaTec® 53-001 gloves, in reflecting that new chemicals are registered constantly, significantly broadens protection with a barrier that provides advanced chemical protection against solvents, acids and hydrocarbons. Also in evidence was our new MICROFLEX® glove – Ansell’s first disposable chemical protection glove comprising three layers that effectively offer protection against ketones.
Those attendees looking for cut protection were not disappointed. The BioClean™ S-BCRL is designed to be worn between two cleanroom gloves to offer cut protection when handling sharp objects or cleaning apparatus which pose a cut risk. The innovations were completed by the much anticipated HyFlex® 11-561. A trail of intrigue led directly to Ansell’s stand, following tantalising hints pre-show that the industry had never seen a level of cut protection available before from such a light glove, and this claim was emphatically confirmed by a constant stream of visitors.
You came and we listened
Ansell has consistently pioneered innovations in glove design. Fundamental to everything that Ansell do is investment in research based on an intimate knowledge of worker experience. As a safety company Ansell understands exactly what the job involves. This expertise creates an exceptional level of trust with customers in providing protection that gives the confidence to safely complete any task and assurance that they are making the right choice. Conveying and reaffirming this trust was a key part of the A+A experience.
Neil Salmon, President Industrial GBU at Ansell, describes the appeal and benefits of A+A: “It’s so easy today to communicate quickly with anyone around the globe, but forums like the A+A offer a great opportunity to meet so many of our customers face-to-face in one place, and significantly contributes to our understanding of the issues that concern them. It was great to see our safety experts listening, and guiding visitors around the exciting innovations of our hero products. This created a heightened buzz in the hall that transferred quickly to social platforms.”
A+A also provided an opportunity for Ansell to reveal more detail of its strategic activity, designed to create an even safer workplace. The recently announced partnership with ProGlove, a leading industrial wearables provider, incorporates the latest technological developments of digitized industry 4.0 to enable the creation of innovative protection solutions, offering real-time data collection capabilities for precise and immediate information enabling compliance to safety recommendations.
As Neil Salmon confirms: “Strategically we were also able to highlight what our acquisition of Ringers Gloves and the partnership with ProGlove means to our customers, both now and in the future, as we expand Ansell’s position in this attractive and growing specialty category to advance worker protection globally. Also the event enabled us to assess the ongoing impact of new PPE Regulation EU 2016/425. It has been good to hear how responsive people are to Ansell’s leadership, preparedness, and drive to find solutions that fit the industry. Trust Ansell as a tagline for our relationship with customers remains in great health!”